Antimicrobial compositions include materials which have the ability to disinfect. It is generally recognised that a disinfecting material greatly reduces or even eliminates the microorganisms existing on a surface. Antimicrobial compositions have been described in the art which include strong disinfecting materials which are not fully satisfactory from an environmental and/or human safety point of view. For example, typical disinfecting materials used in antimicrobial compositions include quaternary ammonium.
Also, a drawback associated with antimicrobial compositions based on strong disinfecting materials like peracids and/or halogen-releasing compounds, e.g., hypochlorite, is that they may damage surfaces onto which they are contacted to perform their disinfecting action. Indeed, such antimicrobial compositions based on peracids and/or hypochlorite are perceived by the consumers as being not safe to various surfaces including hard-surfaces and fabrics, especially delicate fabrics like silk, wool and the like.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide effective disinfection using ingredients which are perceived to have a limited detrimental impact on surfaces and/or to be environmental friendly.
This object can be met by combining in a composition a surfactant, a chelating agent and an antimicrobial essential oil, or an active thereof. Indeed, it has been found that the incorporation, in a composition, of the combination of a surfactant, a chelating agent and an antimicrobial essential oil, or an active thereof, provides disinfecting properties to said composition. Actually, a composition comprising said combination provides excellent disinfection on a surface, even at high dilution levels, i.e., up to dilution levels of from 1:100 (composition:water).
By combining a chelating agent, a surfactant and an essential oil or an active thereof, disinfection may be provided on all types of surfaces including hard-surfaces as well as in laundry applications, or even in human application.
An advantage of the present invention is that excellent disinfection is provided on a broad range of bacterial pure strains including Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains and more resistant micro-organisms like fungi.
Another advantage of the present invention is that beside the disinfection properties delivered, good cleaning is also provided.
Representative of the prior art is for example EP-B-288 689 which discloses a liquid for hard-surfaces comprising antimicrobial effective amounts of pine oil and at least one oil soluble organic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,587 discloses aqueous antimicrobial compositions which can be used to sanitise, disinfect, and clean hard-surfaces. More particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,587 discloses aqueous compositions (pH 1 to 12) comprising essential oils (0.02% to 5%), which exhibit antimicrobial properties efficacy such as thyme oil, eucalyptus oil, clove oil and the like, and a solubilizing or dispersing agent sufficient to form an aqueous solution or dispersion of said essential oils in a water carrier.
Co-pending European patent application number 96870017.9 discloses disinfecting compositions comprising hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil, optionally surfactants and chelating agents.
None of these prior art documents discloses that by combining a chelating agent, a surfactant and an antimicrobial essential oil or an active thereof excellent disinfecting properties are delivered to a surface, even under diluted conditions.